1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a percutaneously adjustable drainage system for cerebrospinal fluid.
2. Background Information
Background information is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily admit that subsequently mentioned information and publications are prior art.
Initial Situation:
Cerebrospinal fluid drainage is required and/or desired for example for hemorrhages resulting from a head injury or for cerebral hemorrhages resulting from an aneurysm. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage is also frequently used for equalizing the pressure or decreasing the pressure in hydrocephalus patients.
Cerebrospinal fluid drainage influences the pressure conditions in the intracranial cavity of the patient and prevents, minimizes, and/or restricts any damage to the brain from excessive intracranial pressures.
Internal and external drainage are used for pressure equalization/reduction. The cerebral fluid must only or should flow away in a controlled or substantially controlled manner. An uncontrolled discharge is just as dangerous as an excessive pressure. The discharge of the cerebrospinal fluid is controlled by means of a valve.
For internal drainage an artificial connection is produced between the ventricles of the brain in the head and a drainage compartment, which is currently most often the abdomen. For the external drainage, the cerebral fluid is passed through a catheter outside the body.
Examples of suitable hydrocephalus valves are described in DE 102004015500 A1, DE102004001635 A1, DE 69808558 T2, DE19643782 C1, DE19535637 C2, DE10358145 A1, DE10258071 A1, DE 10105315 A1, DE 4401422 B4, DE 4307387 C2. DE 4130601 A1, DE26202 A1, EP 1 575 654 A1, EP1 343 557 B1, EP888 595 B1, EP614 673 A3.
Problematic Issues:
External drainages have a rapidly increasing risk of infection as a function of the duration of the treatment. In view of the extremely high risk of infection, an external drainage can no longer be justified after seven to ten days.
Internal drainage by means of a shunt system has a high risk of blockage by blood components in the cerebrospinal fluid.